Snatched; Draco Malfoy

sixteen

A powerful cold blast trickled down me from my head to my toes, and I was suddenly aware of my own body. My wrist were tied behind me onto a pole and my eyes were sleepy.

I forced my heavy eyelids open and my vision was blurred. Was I dead? It sure felt like it. But slowly, my vision cleared and I could take in my surroundings.

The room was clean and polished yet it was dark and eerie. A small group of people were huddled in a corner, whispering quietly until one of them saw me lift my head up.

"She's awake!" They hissed, walking over to me.

She bent down to my level and tilted my chin upwards, studying my face.

By her familiar, chiselled features and pale skin, I recognised her to be Narcissa Malfoy. Draco's mother.

I took another look around at where I was until I realised I was most likely being held at Malfoy Manor.

A high pitched laugh echoed in the empty room and the crazed face of Bellatrix Lestrange came into view behind Narcissa.

"The poor thing's confused! Let me talk to her, Cissy!" Bellatrix uttered, staring into the back of her sisters head, her eyes wide.

"Not now, Bella. She doesn't need scaring even more." I swallowed anxiously as the voice of Lucius Malfoy spoke.

"What am I doing here?" I managed to whisper is a hoarse voice.

Bellatrix cackled but Narcissa spoke to me softly and said, "Draco ordered you to be here. He said you could be of use. Please try to stay calm. We won't hurt you."

My eyes darted from her to Bellatrix to Lucius. Even the sight of them made my palms sweat in nerves.

"DRACO!" Bellatrix called out, making everyone flinch. "COME HERE! WE WOKE THE GIRL UP!"

At her words, a thought hit me. How did I get here? And why don't I remember anything? Hogsmede. That's where I last was. With Draco. None of it made sense.

"What did you do to me? In Hogsmede?" I asked, raising my voice so I could be heard in the large room.

"You were snatched," said a menacing voice coming from the dark depths of the corner behind me.

I turned round to see an unfamiliar face of a slightly manic man, walking towards me.

"I'm Scabior. Me and a couple others snatched ya. From 'ogsmede. We're snatchers ya see." Scabior said, bending down so he was level with me.

"What did you do to me?" I asked, not wanting to face him.

"Just a simple sleeping charm. It puts you to sleep until we wake you up. Which is what we did just now."

It was coming back to me now. The sweet scent must have been the charm that knocked me out.

"I demand you to let me go!" I yelled, trying to wriggle free of the ropes tying me up.

"How cute. She thinks she 'as control over us." Scabior chuckled. He placed a grotty finger on my cheek and ran it down my face onto my neck. "Shame I 'ad to give ya to this lot. I would 'ave loved you for myself, my pretty." He stopped his finger just before my chest, and sneered at me playfully.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!"

I flinched again but this time, Draco was the one shouting.

"Get you're filthy hands off her, Scabior." Draco ordered him, coming over to me and untying me.

I rubbed my wrists as they were sore from the ropes and looked up at Draco gratefully.

"Draco," Lucius began, "why was this girl of such importance. What can she bring for us."

"She's smart. And she has connections to the ministry too. Hogwarts isn't safe for her. She stays here, or I leave and tell the ministry about your plans." Draco said, making his point clear.

"I can't BELIEVE IT! This is PATHETIC Draco. You can do better than this," Bellatrix shouted, striding over to Draco. He gripped my hand and I squeezed it back. He was shaking and visibly afraid.

"Don't talk to my son that way!" Narcissa spoke up. "Draco wants her her so she's staying. And that's final." She turned and faced me. "You can sleep in the guest bedroom. Draco will show you. Now if you could let us talk."

Getting the hint we were being asked to leave, Draco rushed out of the room, his lip trembling.

He led me to his room and once we were there, he hugged me tight and started sobbing.

I enfolded him into a deep hug and patted his hair,whispering that it was going to be okay. He drew away and apologised, hardly stopping for breath.

"Poppy. Poppy I'm so sorry. I should have replied. But that night on your birthday, Snape said I needed to fulfil my duties or he'd do it for me. But if I don't do it, he'll kill me. The Dark Lord will kill me."

He stated getting choked up and I hugged him again and told him to carry on.

"I've been here for the last two months, living in fear something might go wrong. Poppy I've been such a bad person. I can't do it anymore. But I need to. I need to, Poppy." He sobbed, tears steaming down his face.

"Draco? Draco I'm really worried. You're putting too much pressure on yourself. Please tell me what's going on."

He swallowed and blinked out more tears. "I can't. I can't because you'll hate me even more. I can't have that. Not that." He broke into another fit of tears and rested his head on my shoulder.

"Draco. I don't hate you. And I won't hate you even if it's the worst thing. Draco please. If you tell me, we can sort it out." I myself was now on the verge of tears but I held them back to be strong for Draco.

He drew back from my shoulder and wiped his tear-stained cheeks with his shaking fingers.

He stared into my eyes, his sunken face full of darkness.

"I'm a Death Eater."